Ohio State notes: Penn State roster lacking Ohio talent

COLUMBUS — Penn State historically has recruited the state of Ohio with success.
Some talented Nittany Lions, including O.J. McDuffie (Hawken), Curtis Enis (Mississinawa Valley) and more recently Michael Zordich (Cardinal Mooney), hailed from Ohio.
Surprisingly, none of the players on Penn State’s travel roster on Saturday were from Ohio. In fact, the only player on Penn State’s roster from Ohio is freshman receiver Luke Vadas (University School). Vadas wasn’t on Saturday’s travel roster.
Conversely, four key members of the Buckeyes call the Keystone State home — senior receiver Corey “Philly” Brown, senior safety Corey “Pittsburgh” Brown, senior running back Jordan Hall and sophomore defensive end Noah Spence.
OSU offensive line coach Ed Warriner has gone head-to-head in recruiting battles with Penn State. He said the fervor of which Penn State recruits suggest it might make inroads in Ohio again soon.
“They recruit hard. They don’t just hope you come. They recruit guys,” Warriner said. “They go after them and recruit them hard. People want to be loved and liked and recruited. So they’re doing that, too.”
NCAA sanctions stemming from the scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky might have something to do with Penn State’s recruitment of players. The Nittany Lions are playing with 61 scholarship players, 24 less than the maximum allowed by the NCAA.
In addition to the lack of Ohio players on its current roster, none of the 14 players who as of Saturday gave verbal commitments to Penn State are from Ohio.
OSU assistant Mike Vrabel doesn’t foresee Penn State falling off the NCAA football radar because of the NCAA sanctions. If anything, he sees better days ahead for the Nittany Lions.
Could the rebirth start with recruiting more Ohio players?
“Well, (Penn State coach) Bill O’Brien was a good friend. He was in New England when I was there,” Vrabel said. “He’s a good football coach. He’s going to do everything he can to keep that program where it’s been for the last 50 or 60 years. I don’t see that changing.”Setting the Pace
Former Ohio State star lineman Orlando Pace was honored at the end of the first quarter as being a 2013 inductee into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Pace played at Ohio State from 1994-96 and was known as the “Pancake Man” for how he flattened opponents with his blocking techniques.
Pace finished fourth in the 1996 Heisman Trophy voting, the highest finish for a lineman since 1980.
“Orlando Pace is not only the best offensive lineman I have ever coached, but he is the best I have ever seen,” former OSU coach John Cooper said. “Every game was a highlight reel for him. ... I don’t know how you could play the position any better than he did. He was just a fantastic football player. He was the best.”
Pace was a two-time first-team All-American and won the Lombardi Trophy in both his sophomore and junior seasons, as well as the Outland Trophy in 1996.
Pace was the first overall pick in the 1997 draft by the St. Louis Rams and was a seven-time Pro-Bowler.
He is the 24th Ohio State player to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.Hit of the game
Ohio State offensive lineman Marcus Hall drew oohs and aahs from the crowd with his block on Penn State defensive end Deion Barnes midway through the first quarter.
With quarterback Braxton Miller flushed to his right, Hall peeled back to pick up a block for Miller and completely de-cleated the 6-4, 245-pound Barnes, who never saw Hall coming.
Miller ran for another 10 yards, but did not pick up the first down and OSU punted. The crowd gasped when the play happened live, and again when it was shown on the massive OSU scoreboard.Schedule change
Ohio State announced it will host Virginia Tech on Sept. 6 next season instead of Sept. 20, as it was originally scheduled.
The move, according to an OSU news release, was made to accomodate the possibility of either a full national telecast at 3:30 p.m. or a prime-time telecast.Squib kicks
-- Sophomore Tommy Schutt, who missed the first six games with a broken foot, started on the defensive line for Ohio State.
-- With its 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, Ohio State is now outscoring the opposition, 143-38, in the first quarter this season.
-- For the second straight week, injured senior Christian Bryant (on crutches) went out to midfield as a game captain for the coin toss.
-- Jordan Hall, whose role has been reduced significantly after the return of Carlos Hyde to the backfield, recorded a solo tackle on kickoff coverage in the second quarter — his second tackle of the season.